Former Israeli Supreme Court Chief Justice: Israel is sliding toward civil war

Former Israeli Supreme Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak warned that Israel could slide into civil war due to worsening internal divisions.

In an interview with the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Aharon Barak stressed the need to prevent the tyranny of the majority, calling for efforts to reach agreements.

His remarks came as the Israeli government prepares to approve the dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, despite the agency currently investigating the “Qatargate” affair, in which members of Netanyahu’s government were implicated.

Barak added, “The main problem of Israeli society is the eighth front, which is the deep rift among Israelis themselves… This dispute is worsening, and I fear that its end will be like a train that has derailed and is descending into the abyss, leading to civil war”.

It’s worth noting that Barak recently tried again to explore the possibility of reaching a plea deal in Netanyahu’s cases, saying in the interview, “I think it’s possible to reach an agreement”.

For years, Barak was a friend of Netanyahu’s and praised his loyalty and devotion to the rule of law.

When asked what had happened to him, Barak replied, “I don’t know… I can analyze his actions, but I can’t analyze what’s going on in his mind… In the meantime, all we need to do is prevent the tyranny of the majority, which exploits its power in the name of the votes it holds”.

Barak continued, saying, “We must strive to reach an agreement between the extremist parties… The problem is that in Israeli society, there is no desire for agreement, only the use of force… The government says we are a coalition of 64 seats, so we can dismiss the head of the Shin Bet and the attorney general, and appoint a politically motivated ombudsman for judges… These practices must stop immediately”.

He added, “The dismissal of the attorney general is illegal according to the criteria set by the Shamgar Committee… She has performed her duties to the best of her ability, approving most government decisions and objecting only in rare instances. Her job is to clarify what is legal and what is illegal, and her dismissal would be a severe blow to the justice system and citizens’ rights”.

Regarding the government’s intention to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet, Barak stressed that the Netanyahu’s government has the authority to dismiss him under the Shin Bet law, but the question is, what are the real reasons behind the decision? Claiming that trust in him has evaporated isn’t a sufficient legal reason… The head of the Shin Bet isn’t an employee subject to the principle of personal loyalty, but his dismissal must be reviewed by a specialized committee… If I were a Supreme Court justice and this case were presented to me, I would rule the dismissal illegitimate due to its unreasonableness and conflict of interest”.

Barak also warned of the danger of changing the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee, which the Knesset is scheduled to vote on next week.

He said, “This law is extremely dangerous because it gives politicians the power to select all judges in the courts, which means turning judicial appointments into purely political decisions, which undermines the foundations of democracy”.

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded to Barak’s statements, saying in a post on X, “There will be no civil war”.

It’s worth noting that Barak, dubbed the godfather of the constitutional revolution, was a prominent opponent of the judicial revolution pushed by Netanyahu’s government.

He faced widespread protests outside his home, some in support of his positions, and others in opposition, including sharp chants against him, which led him to tears on occasion.

Despite the fierce criticism he faced from the Netanyahu government, the prime minister recently selected him to represent Israel before the International Court of Justice in The Hague in the case brought by South Africa against Israel for committing genocide in Gaza.

He was chosen because of his international standing as one of the world’s most prominent legal figures, and because he is a Holocaust survivor, which lends his position significant weight before international judges.